ASTANA. KAZINFORM The Day of Silence ahead of the election of Majilis and Maslikhat deputies set for March 19 began in Kazakhstan today at 00:00 am. Any agitation work related to the election is prohibited, Kazinform reports.

The pre-election agitation campaign began at 06:00 pm on February 18 and ended on March 17. Any agitation is prohibited on the Day of Silence and on the Election Day as per Article 32, of the Constitutional Law «On Elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan.»

Voting at polling stations on the Election Day will be held from 07:00 am to 08:00 pm local time, unless otherwise is specified. The counting of votes and the preparation of a protocol on the results of voting by the election commissions begins at 08:00 pm local time, unless another time for the end of voting is set.

The lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament consists of 98 deputies, 29 of which are elected from single-mandate districts. 70% of deputies are elected under party lists and 30% - from the single-mandate districts.

Seven political parties will run for the elections. They are AMANAT, Auyl People’s Democratic Party, Respublica Party, People’s Party of Kazakhstan, Baitaq Party, Ak Zhol Democratic Party, and Nationwide Social-Democratic Party.